Games for Sustainable Finance

Who Are We?

Coney is a UK company that creates interactive experiences of all kinds, from theatre to digital games.

We work with research scientists and business experts to create games exploring complex systems.

From forest management to disaster response, our interactive scenarios help businesses understand and reckon with real-life challenges.

In 2017, we began developing a set of new games exploring climate risk for financial institutions.

Read more about us and see examples of previous projects here.

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Who Are These Games For?

These games are intended for diverse groups within the financial sector, including:

• Asset and investment fund managers

• Pension fund trustees

• Sustainability teams within financial institutions seeking to communicate their work to the broader organisation

• Climate scientists seeking to make their research meaningful to financial planners

• Policy-makers and financial regulators

• Insurance managers

Depending on the intended participants, games can be tailored or designed bespoke to fit the group's needs.

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Learning Outcomes

Some of the key learning outcomes associated with these games include:

• What are the climate risks associated with different kinds of projects and investments? How can we assess these risks and judge their severity?

• What risks are acceptable and unacceptable? Which can be managed and mitigated against?

• How can you improve the ESG qualities of the projects you have?

• How can you change your investment portfolio to a more sustainable mix?

• How can you have agency in a complex and changing system without having complete knowledge of how that system works or the consequences of your actions?

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What Can Games Do?

Coney create games that explore complex systems; from high schools to electricity grids to social networks to retail supply chains. We refer to these games as 'Systems Games'.

They are examples of what scientists call 'toy models' - systems models that are deliberately simplified in order to highlight particular dynamics and behaviours.

The art of scientific modelling is to make everything 'as simple as possible, but no simpler'.

Our games are carefully designed to reflect just enough components of a system to demonstrate certain behaviours, without trying to be fully realistic or exhaustively detailed.

With a toolkit of techniques developed over decades working in this space, we construct provocative experiences which generate vital actions, behaviours and insights in players.

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What Can't Games Do?

A well constructed game is a rich and exciting experience, but a game alone can't generate all the needed insights.

The game gives players a tangible, hands-on understanding of the issues and an exciting, memorable experience.

Ideally, this is followed by a more formal debrief and discussion to capture and embed the key learnings and insights that have emerged through play.

Delivery and Replicability

Our games are designed to be experienced by a group of participants live in a space together.

They are designed for (typically) up to 30 participants, and can take place in an office, meeting room or function space.

Some games include some digital components, but the core experience is always live.

Most games require a single facilitator - ideally working alongside a sustainable finance expert.

We create games that can be packaged and handed over to our partners to deliver themselves, or else Coney can provide facilitators.

Depending on need, game materials can be replicated and toured easily.

Working With Us

We've developed a suite of prototype games exploring different aspects of the finance system.

The next step is to work with a partner to develop these games for their specific needs.

When it comes to working with a new partner, there are several possible first steps:

Taster Menu event
We can run an informal event for your staff and clients, sharing a selection of our existing games for the workplace.

Ideal as an after work 'happy hour' activity in a bar or event space, people can try out a few different games in an informal networking setting.

Rapid prototype
Before a major collaboration with a new partner, we always set out to produce something small together.

Over a quick timeframe (often around two weeks) and with minimal budget, we co-create a rough but playable proof of concept game.

This allows us both to test out how we might work together, and sense whether or not this is a good fit before any significant commitment.